Mob boss Daniel Kinahan earned up to $2million for each of Tyson Fury’s last four fights but promoters became nervous of his greed, the Irish Mirror can reveal.
The drug lord, sanctioned this week by the US government who placed a $5million bounty on his head, had always tried to control negotiations for mega-bucks bouts.
Now, one of the world’s top promoters Bob Arum has revealed how the 44-year-old cartel leader’s tone became more aggressive as his business relationship developed with Kinahan once warning: “I’ll get back at you.”
Arum’s company Top Rank paid Kinahan consulting fees for each of the four bouts – between $1.5million and $2million for each fight.
In an exclusive interview with the Irish Mirror, American Arum said Kinahan is “a hundred per cent” running the management firm MTK, even though MTK once again distanced themselves from the Dublin crime boss this week.
He also explained Fury, advised by Kinahan in the past along with other boxers, is now getting legal advice over any dealings with Kinahan after the US government’s shock move against him.
Arum, who runs Top Rank promotions, said that he and Frank Warren, who both co-promote world heavyweight champ Fury from the US and UK, had become concerned at the underhanded role Kinahan was playing in the sport.
This came to the fore during plans for a lucrative €240million “Fight of the Century” between Fury and Anthony Joshua, which was to be held in Saudi Arabia.
There was a huge international outcry when Kinahan’s criminal activities were made public across the world – and the fight was later derailed for a number of reasons.
Arum told the Irish Mirror: “Particularly with his machinations in the Mid East. He would not want anybody to deal with the Saudis except him. And that type of thing.
“Look, believe me, once the US made its position clear, it seems to me that there was a big sigh of relief from everybody, whether it’s Frank Warren or myself.”
The 90-year-old revealed Kinahan had earned “millions” from his dealings in his role as an “advisor”.
The Irish Mirror has established that Kinahan earned between $1.5million and $2million for each of Fury’s two bouts against Deontay Wilder as well as fights against Otto Wallin and Tom Schwarz.
The drugs kingpin may have pocketed up to $8million from Fury negotiations alone but he has taken home much more money in his unlicensed “advisory” role to dozens of others.
But it was the talks for Fury’s fight against Dillian Whyte, to take place at Wembley Stadium next Saturday night, that saw Kinahan being cut off.
Arum revealed to the Irish Mirror: “The relationship broke down because he was interfering in everything. He was becoming greedier and greedier. And he became more of a burden than a help.
“For Fury versus Whyte, Frank and I drew the line. We would not talk to him and we would not deal with him.
“We would not be involved and he would not get money from us or anybody else.” Asked if Fury was upset about this, he replied: “Tyson was certainly not upset.”
When he was asked whether Kinahan had become aggressive towards him, Arum said there were no physical threats but added: “His tone? Absolutely. ‘I’ll get back at you’, that kind of stuff.”
Kinahan founded MTK Global, formerly MGM, in 2012 in Spain – where he lived at the time – with ex-pro puncher Matthew Macklin, who has no involvement in crime.
The now-sanctioned Kinahan and the company claim they parted ways in 2017 but he remained advising many of their fighters who publicly defended him. MTK was based in Marbella but later moved to Dubai, where Kinahan fled in 2017.
MTK released a statement on Thursday again claiming the drug baron stepped away five years ago and stating he will have no involvement in its future dealings.
Asked if Kinahan, to his knowledge, continues to be involved in running MTK, Arum told us: “A hundred per cent. He founded it, it’s his company.
“He can say what he wants, I know for fact from some of the stuff that he did, that it was his company – whatever the books said.”
Arum had signed fighters managed by MTK to promote them with Top Rank based on Kinahan’s advice since 2019, when they initially struck up a relationship.
But he says he has cut all ties with the firm now, adding that Fury, Scottish boxer Josh Taylor and others are getting legal advice following the US government’s statement on Tuesday morning.
He told us: “I haven’t spoken to Tyson but I’ve spoken to Tyson’s attorney who has consulted counsel in the United States and who has talked with Tyson and how serious this statement from the United States government is. And I think Tyson has the message, but I can’t speak for Tyson.
“I spoke to Josh Taylor who was a fighter that was advised by Kinahan. And he understands completely what has happened and will take advice now from his own attorney and his promoter Top Rank.”
Arum said Kinahan was playing a “nebulous” role which was difficult for figures in the sport to deal with because it was not the traditional way they had done business.
Asked if he felt conned by Kinahan, boxing hall of famer Arum said: “It is what it is. I don’t want to shovel more dirt on him.
“It was not a comfortable situation and it’s now become very clear based on the US position.
“I’m a former prosecutor for the US attorney’s office many years ago and these actions by the United States government are not taken lightly. A lot of work and effort and thought went into it. I certainly myself never thought that this was going to be coming down. When I read about it, I was absolutely stunned.”
In a separate interview with Yahoo Sports yesterday, Arum told how he began doing business with the mob boss. He said: “Kinahan called me and we had a long conversation. He has kids and he said he wanted to get out of that other stuff.
“He said to me, ‘Bob, I’ve done some bad things in my life. I admit that.
“But I’m not involved with that any more. I’m just trying to clean up my life and be a legitimate business man’.”
But he added: “There came a time that we discovered that he might still have been involved in some nefarious activities. That was enough for us.”
On Tuesday, Kinahan, his father Christy Snr, 65, and brother Christy Jnr, 41, were named and sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.
The US OFAC stated: “Daniel Kinahan, who sources large quantities of cocaine from South America, plays an integral part in organising the supply of drugs in Ireland and is attempting to facilitate the importation of cocaine into the UK.”
Mr Warren’s Queensberry Promotions were contacted for comment yesterday.
